And You Think You Know What Life's About

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And You Think You Know What Life's About
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 11, 1998
RecordedTrackholmes, Santa Barbara;
Music Box, Hollywood
GenreRock, alternative rock
Length50:46
LabelA&M
ProducerMarc Waterman & Dishwalla[1]
Dishwalla chronology
Pet Your Friends
(1995)
And You Think You Know What Life's About
(1998)
Opaline
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyC−[3]

And You Think You Know What Life's About is the second album by Dishwalla, released in 1998 on A&M Records.[4][5]

Critical reception[edit]

The Washington Post noted that "the band's most bombastic choruses contain echoes of the slick power ballads that grunge banished."[6] Entertainment Weekly wrote that "when they pull out the cheesy Top 40 stops ... like on the ballad 'Until I Wake Up', they come off like a modern-rock Journey—a guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless."[3] The Ottawa Citizen determined that "the band remains a non-innovator, relying on go-to guitar riffs and catchy rock melodies."[7]

Stereo Review concluded that "Dishwalla spends part of its second album whining about the success of its first one."[8] Rolling Stone thought that frontman J.R. Richards "has managed to shed his grumbly, disaffected vocals for a softer croon on tracks such as 'The Bridge Song'."[9] The Boston Globe opined that "Dishwalla's chameleon act seems in total defiance of establishing a trademark sound."[10] The Los Angeles Times wrote that "this angst-filled and metal-tinged sophomore try sinks quickly under the weight of overblown emotion and puerile lyrics."[11]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Stay Awake" - 4:13
  2. "Once in a While" - 4:42
  3. "Bottom of the Floor" - 3:29
  4. "Healing Star" - 4:21
  5. "Until I Wake Up" - 5:16
  6. "5 Star Day" - 4:12
  7. "Truth Serum" - 5:29
  8. "So Blind" - 3:41
  9. "Gone Upside Down" - 3:59
  10. "So Much Time" - 4:37
  11. "The Bridge Song" - 3:10
  12. "Pop Guru" - 3:34

Total Length: 50:46

Personnel[edit]

  • Scot Alexander: Bass, Vocals
  • Rodney Browning-Cravens: Guitars, Vocals
  • George Pendergast: Drums, Vocals
  • J.R. Richards: Vocals, Guitar, Additional Keyboards
  • Jim Wood: Keyboards, Vocals
  • Uncle Jake Richards: Acoustic Guitar and Backing Vocals on "The Bridge Song"
  • Peter Byck, Marc Waterman and David Young: Backing Vocals on "Bottom of the Floor"
  • Engineered by Marc Waterman and Jim Wood
  • Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge at Image Recording, Hollywood, California, assisted by Andrew Garver

References[edit]

  1. ^ Borzillo, Carrie (Jul 11, 1998). "A&M's Dishwalla taps into 'Think' mode for 2nd album". Billboard. 110 (28): 14, 16.
  2. ^ And You Think You Know What Life's About at AllMusic
  3. ^ a b "And You Think You Know What Life's About". EW.com.
  4. ^ "Dishwalla Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  5. ^ "Dishwalla Resurfaces On New Label". MTV News.
  6. ^ "DISHWALLA: 'AND YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT LIFE'S ABOUT'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Dishwalla plays its cautious rock". Ottawa Citizen. 5 Nov 1998. p. G3.
  8. ^ Milano, Brett (Jan 1999). "And You Think You Know What Life's About". Stereo Review. 64 (1): 89, 92.
  9. ^ Chonin, Neva (Sep 3, 1998). "And You Think You Know What Life's About". Rolling Stone (794): 105.
  10. ^ Gerard, David (27 Aug 1998). "DISHWALLA". The Boston Globe. Calendar. p. 8.
  11. ^ Scribner, Sara (9 Aug 1998). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 66.